Apparatus for storing and feeding oil.



No. 652,375. Pa`tented lune 26. 9001. L. C. SNELL.

APPARATUS FOH'STBING AND FEEDING UIL.

(Application filed July 31, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

THE Nowms PETERS co. P'no'rouma. wAsmNnToN. n. r:y

UNITE Vraras 'are tribu.

LUTHER C. SNELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE HYDRAULIC OILDISTRIBUTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR STORING AND FEEDING OIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,37 5, dated I une2,6, 1900i.

Application led July Sl, 1899.

To @ZZ whom t 77mg/ con/cern:

Beit known that I, LUTHER C. SNELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for StoringOil and the Feeding of Same Under Pressure, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

Myinvention relates to apparatus designed for the storing and feeding ofoil by the hydraulic method; and it is the object of the invention toprovide means for feeding the oil under pressure without the necessityof correspondingly increasing the strength of the storage-tank.

To this end the invention consists in an apparatus comprising astorage-tank, a supply-tank having a Water-pressure connectiontherewith, and means for quickly replacing the water in the supply-tankby oil from the storage-tank.

The invention further consists in the peculiar combination andconstruction of parts, as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is va vertical longitudinal section through myapparatus, and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positionsof the valves when the supply is being filled from the storage-tank.

A is the storage-tank, of any suitable construction. This tank isprovided with an inlet connection B, preferably provided with afloat-controlled valve,and an outlet connection C, communicating withthe bottom of the tank. Above the level of the tankA is arranged thepressure-supply tank D. This also may be of any suitable construction;but it must be of sufficient strength to safely bear the pressure towhich the oil is subjected, while the tank A need be only sufficientlystrong to safely hold the oil under atmospheric pressure. The tanks Aand D are connected to each other by a valve-controlled replacementconnection, which I have shown as comprising two pipes E and F. The pipeE extends from the upper portion of the tank A to the upper portion ofthe tank D, and the pipe F correspondingly extends from the Serial'No.725,630. (No model.)

lower portion of the tank A to the lower portion of the tank D. Eachpipe is provided with a valve, preferably a threeway valve, (indicatedat G and IL) by means of which communication may be established betweenthe tanks.

I and -J are respectively water-pressure inlet and oil-outlet pipesconnecting with the pipes F and E and also controlled by the 6othree-way valves H and G, the arrangement being such that in oneposition of said valves communication is cut off between the two tanksand established between the tank D and pipes I and J. The valves II andG are preferably provided with a common actuating connection, such asthe lever K and link L, by means of which said valves may besimultaneously operated. i

The apparatus being constructed as shown 7o and described, in operationthe tank A is filled by oil entering through the inlet-pipe B anddisplaces the water in the tank which escapes through the pipe C. Thetank D is normally connected with a water-pressure pipe I and is filledwith water. When it is desired to charge the tank D with oil, the leverK is thrown into a position where the pipes E and F are opened. Thiswill permit water in the tank D to descend by gravity 8o through thepipe F into the tank A, .and at the same time the oil in the tank Awillbe siphoned out through the pipe E and will fill the tank D. As soon asthe tank D is filled with oil the lever K is thrown back into its otherposition, which cuts oif communication with the tank A and connects thewaterpressure with the tank D. Thus the cil may be fed under therequisite pressure to the desired point until the tank D is again emp 9otied. Then by again throwing the lever J into its opposite position thetank D maybe again filled and the process continued as before described.

It will be understood that the oil in the tank A will be entirelyreplaced by water from the tank D, after which the supply may be renewedthrough the inlet connection B. Such an apparatus will be especiallyuseful in places where large tanks' have been placed loo for the storageof oil and where subsequently the necessity arises for delivering theoil at ahighe'rpressiir'ethan said tanks will stand. Thus by theaddition of the tank D and its connections the cost of replacing thestoragetanks by stronger ones is avoided.

What I claim as my invention is;

l. The combination with a storage-tank of a supply-tank having awater-pressure connection and a replacement connection between saidsupply and rstorage tanks.

2. The combination with a storage-tank of a supply-tank thereabove andhaving a waterLpressure connection therewith and a valvecontrolledreplacement connection between said tanks.

3. The combination with a storage-tank, of a supply-tank arrangedthereabove and having a water=pressure connection therewith, anormally-closed replacement connection between said tanks and means foropening said replacement connection and closing the water-supplyconnection.

4. The combination with a storage-tank, of

a supply-tank arranged thereabove, valvef' controlled replacementconnections respectively between the upper portions and the' lowerportions of said tanks, a valve-controlled water-supply connection forthe upper tank, and means for alternatively opening said replacement andwater-supply connections.

5. The combination with a storage-tank of a supply-tank arrangedthereabove, replacement-pipes respectively connecting the uppei iportions and the lower portionsl of said tanks,

outlet and inl'et pipes for the upper tank re'- spectively connectedwith saidreplacementl pipes, three way valves for alternatively openin gsaid replacement-pipes and said outl let and inlet pipes and connectionsfor simultaneously and correspondingly operating said valvessubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- LUTHER C. SNELL. Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE,

P. M. HALBERT.

